Jan. 19, 2024

Worship Schedule

Sundays at 10 a.m.

(with Morning Prayer once a month)

In person and live-streamed on YouTube

Church School

Godly Play Sunday School 10 a.m.

Teen Text Sunday School twice a month

Adult Bible Study

twice a month after Coffee Hour

(Next one Jan. 21)

What Is Our Annual Meeting Task?

Cultivating Gifts that Bring Hope

As we move toward our upcoming Annual Meeting, your vestry and I invite all to consider what engagement in our life together means, to acknowledge the challenges we face, and actively work together to discover our truest way forward in faith and love.

Last week, during my sermon, I spoke of the value of spiritual friends helping each other discover the gifts they have to offer for the purpose of making God known.

I began with a very real-life question: “For what purpose did God take on human flesh to walk among us, as one of us?” (Is that not a bottom-line question for all Christians? Why do we follow Jesus otherwise?)

In my own ponderings, I wondered with you out loud, if in-the-flesh-Jesus came to show us, so worldly distracted human beings, that we are marvelously made, fully known by God, fully embraced as God’s Beloved, and created for the purpose of sharing our God-given gifts with others.

We often prefer to think of God as coming to us, comforting us, caring for and protecting us. Gathering for an Annual Meeting is a valuable reminder that we are all, each and every one of us, part of the Body of Christ. We have been called by God to be God’s people, called to be the Church, called to be the ones who bring God’s grace into this world. 

We are delighted to announce the 2024 slate of vestry nominees – your fellow parishioners who have heard Jesus’ call to share their gifts, in spite of (or because of) the challenging times we are in. (Complete bios can be found HERE)

1-year Vestry Officer Terms (no term limit, elected annually)

·        Senior Warden, Margo Terwilliger

·        Junior Warden, Paul Manfredi

·        Treasurer, Sharlene Zagozewski

·        Clerk, Jim Rains

3-year Vestry Terms

·        Jim Polito

·        Sharlene Zagozewski

2-year Vestry Term (position vacated by Margo Terwilliger)

·        Nikki Young

1-year Vestry Term (position vacated by Paul Manfredi )

·        Alicia Bonner

Diocesan Convention Delegates

·        Flora Quammie

·        Stephanie Warren

·        Paul Manfredi, TBD (alternates)

·        (notes: Naomi Fisher has separate Convention voice-and-vote rights as

the Northwest Region Lay Member of ECCT’s Mission Council;

Donna Sullivan has voice rights as the Northwest Region Lay Member

of ECCT’s Commission on Ministry)

Upon approval of new vestry nominees, they will be joined by returning vestry members:                      

Class of 2025 (1 year left on 3-year term)

·        Sandra Violette

Class of 2026 (2 years left on 3-year term)

·        Aimee Altemus

·        Naomi Fisher

Your presence at our Annual Meeting is a gift of support and gratitude, while acknowledging that our church leaders cannot walk this path alone. They, and we, are tasked to shine a light on the gifts that we each have to offer.

Our time together at the Annual Meeting opens us to celebrate the joyful discovery of the gift of life in which we are called by God to be God’s means of grace in this hurting and broken world. We celebrate the blessings of being created by God, to be a means by which God’s presence is made known.

Blessings,

Rev. Lisa

Our Annual Meeting, with a potluck brunch, is scheduled for Sunday, Jan. 28, following the 10 a.m. service that day.

Please see the RSVP link at the bottom of this article and let us know that you will be joining us!

The annual meeting is a great time to take stock of what God has been up to through us in the past year and where we are being led to go next.

The meeting is open to all who call St. John's their parish home. While fellowship and getting to know one another is key to our time together, we also have business to discuss and the standard voting in of new vestry members.

The list of Voting Members is found HERE

The Property Report is found HERE

The Treasurer's Report is found HERE

The 2024 Budget approved by the Vestry is found HERE

The full Annual Report is still being complied. A digital copy will be available prior to the meeting.

At Tuesday night's vestry meeting Rev. Lisa said the meeting will include some serious conversations about what’s next at St. John's now that “pandemic survival mode” is behind us.

There’s a great deal of renewed hope at St. John’s these days, and the vestry expressed the need for this to translate into broader engagement.

We hope you will be joining us for the meeting and the brunch!

To help take stock of how many folks are coming, and what dish you might bring, we ask you to sign up below.

A Celebration of Life service for David Lemos will be held at St. John's on Saturday, Jan. 27 at 11 a.m.

David, the son of choir member Lei Lemos, died at home in his sleep last week. He has been in our Prayers of the People for many months.

A reception will follow the service. It is being organized by the choir and if you would like to help please contact Stephanie Warren here.

You can read David's obituary here.

Please hold Lei and her family in your prayers as they grieve, and we grieve with them.

Father of all, we pray to you for David and for all those we love, but see no longer. Grant them your peace; let light perpetual shine upon them; and, in your loving wisdom and almighty power, work in them the good purpose of your perfect will; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Bishop Ahrens to Visit Feb. 25

Bishop Laura Ahrens will be visiting St. John's on Sunday, Feb. 25, and we're hoping to make it a memorable day.

In her note reminding us about the visit, Bishop Laura said, "I am eager to spend time with you so that we might discern together how it is God is calling us deeper in relationship and shared ministry."

Rev. Lisa and Bishop Laura will be meeting in the weeks ahead to firm up plans for the visit. So far we know she'll be here for the service, the coffee hour and a meeting with the vestry. Please help us make this a true celebration of our life together.

And yes, please mark your calendars and plan on joining the fun.

Youth Group Gathering Postponed to Feb. 25

The St. John's Youth Group gathering scheduled for this Sunday, Jan. 21, has been postponed until Feb. 25 at 4 p.m., after the Bishop's visit.

St. John’s History Project

The project has made great strides. The New Milford Historical Society has located some interesting documentary artifacts and the project team is viewing those.

The Society is also interested in doing a Sunday coffee hour with us at their facility (at the top of the Green). They have much to share and to show. We're still working out a date, but this will be scheduled after the weather improves in the spring.

KIVA

KIVA is a program that provides micro-loans all over the world to help jump-start small enterprises. St. John’s has been a participant for some years, but our involvement in the program lapsed over the past few years.

We still have funds in KIVA, however, and the vestry has been making plans to restart our engagement. Paul Manfredi will be discussing this at the annual meeting.

Bible Study Group - Jan. 21

Our Bible Study group's next gathering will be this Sunday, Jan. 21, after a postponement last Sunday.



We will be discussing the second Epistle of Peter.

We'll meet in the library following the service, after a brief time at Coffee Hour. New faces are always welcome! Simply sharing what we each hear is truly a gift to be valued.

Men's Night Out - Jan. 30

The monthly Men's Night Out will be resume on Jan. 30. We'll be going to Greca, in the Big Y shopping plaza. Check out their menu here.

If you'd like to join us please see Bill Kamp, or email him here.

Women's Night Out - Feb. 6

The next Women's Night Out will be Tuesday Feb. 6 at 6 p.m at La Piccolina, on the Green. You can see their menu here.

If you'd like to join us, please email Mary Vallo or Sue Denino. Or, let them know when you see them in church

Next Food Collection - Feb. 7

Our next St. John's Food Drop-off will be Wednesday, Feb. 7, from 10 a.m. to noon.

The food collected will be delivered to the New Milford Food Bank.

We had to cancel our collection this past Wednesday because of the unusually cold temperatures that day and the leftover snow from the day before.

We're in front of the church to collect your donations of non-perishable foods and personal-care items on the first and third Wednesdays of each month.

Please remember that you can always bring in food on Sunday mornings and place your offerings in the donation basket next to the last pew.

Nia and Josh in NMHS's 'The Little Mermaid'

New Milford High School is presenting 'The Little Mermaid' on stage for two weekends in March and two of our own - Josh Violette and Nia Young - will be performing.

Josh will be playing 'Flounder' and Nia is part of the ensemble cast.

Check out the details, and reserve your tickets below.

Literacy Tutor Opportunity

Literacy Volunteers on the Green celebrates 19 years as an adult literacy organization, supporting English language learners and adults in need of basic skills remediation.

We’ve had a presence at St. John’s for more than a decade and continue to feel welcome and appreciated by the St. John’s congregation and staff!

We welcome new tutors to join an engaged and dedicated adult literacy community.

Please consider making a difference in the life of an English language learner in the Greater New Milford area. A weekly commitment of two hours is expected.

A new tutor training will be offered at the end of January or the first week of February.

For additional information, please contact lynn@lvg-ct.org or call 860-355-0830.

We look forward to hearing from you!

Below are photos of some of our learning teams.

Congratulations Matin!!

We are happy to let you know that Matin Malikzada, the master potter from Afghanistan who resettled in New Milford with the help of New Milford Refugee Resettlement, has been selected by the Connecticut State Office of the Arts to receive the Emerging Creative Award. 

The award highlights "breakthrough creative leaders who are starting to blossom as impactful and innovative contributors to the Connecticut arts scene," according to a recent email we received from the folks at NMRR. 

Matin is one of only three people in the state to receive this first-ever award.

It will be presented at a ceremony at Infinity Hall in Hartford on Jan. 24 at

6 p.m.

Congratulations Matin!

Presiding Bishop Recovering at Home After Medical Procedure to Prevent Further Brain Bleeds

Episcopal News Service] Presiding Bishop Michael Curry is recovering at home following a successful medical procedure on Jan. 18 to alleviate the underlying condition that has caused his recurrences of subdural hematoma, according to a press release from the church’s Office of Public Affairs. 

Curry had been treated twice at a hospital near his home in Raleigh, North Carolina, since early December, when doctors diagnosed the subdural hematoma, or brain bleed, after he suffered a fall during a visit to the Diocese of Central New York.

Doctors planned to use a catheter to insert a metal coil intended to prevent blood from pooling in the brain during the latest procedure on Thursday.

Curry, at 70, is wrapping up the final year of his nine-year term as presiding bishop.

Unrelated to the subdural hematoma, last September he underwent surgery to remove an adrenal gland and a non-cancerous attached mass following treatment for episodes of internal bleeding.

Prayers for The Ill, Homebound or In Need

Parishioners: Katie, Carolyn, Peter, Arthur, Anna, Jean, Joy, Joan, Josie, Helen and Sonok 

For family and friends: Linda, Carrie, Dennis, Douglas, Kevin, Billy, Charles, Rich, Holly, Matt, Artie and Dorothy

For those who have died: David Lemos, son of Lei Lemos

For the people of Ukraine. For the lives lost and the lives upended in the war there.

The next issue of St. John's Connects will be published on Feb. 2

If you have something to share in the next newsletter, please send the info to Ron Vallo by Wednesday, Jan. 31.

Upcoming Birthdays

Gabrielle Javois (1/22); Gabe Larsen (1/23); Jason Lee (1/25); Flora Quammie (1/28); Pat Greenspan (2/2); Donnie Maxwell (2/3); Bonnie Lawrence (2/4); Chantel Javois (2/10); Asher Zuris (2/14); Emma Altemus (2/15)

Anniversaries

Geoffrey and Lisa Hahneman (2/14)

Congrats to all who are celebrating! Enjoy your big day!